If Dublin have a 12 or 13 man or even 14 man attacking game as they did against Tyrone, it makes it much easier to pressure the opposition kickout as the players are effectively already in place.
Mayo leaving players forward or particularly if Dublin employ a sweeper to cover such makes it much harder to fully press the opposition kickout.
Kerry did so very effectively in the drawn game against Mayo when they had no sweeper, but found it much harder in the replay when they had one.
Mayo have clearly done a lot of work on their short kickouts. They were very impressive in that replay, and despite Kerry having a sweeper in the first half of that game, they were pretty much all contested short ones, which are pressurised situations for a goalkeeper in that if something goes wrong a goal can easily result.
I think the stats are that Dublin have won 83 of 96 off their own kickout this season, but I wonder how many of those were uncontested short ones. A lot, Iād venture.
so much bullshit when it comes to Dublinās weak spotsā¦they were weak at midfield for years apparentlyā¦in that time they produced two footballers of the year.
Itās sad to say but cards will be a massive issue. Thereās no doubt Thereāll be huge pressure on the ref. Loads of off the ball shite as players sort themselves out and loads of borderline /pull/drag/dive calls. If the ref gives one one way hell be trying to even it out next time. Either way, same as last year, Dublin have a stronger bench to deal with that.
Thanks for the kind words Kev and theyāre much appreciated butā¦youāre comparing apples and oranges here.
OāConnor is what Iād describe as Gucci handbag, in that heās a luxury item, looks great when on the homeward strait 4/5 up but not worth a flying fuck when youāre 4/5 down.
Durcan, on the other hand, is a proven battler (and occasional score taker). Heās the man (imo) to track and combat the expected surges of McCaffrey and for that reason Iād start him.
I think Doc is one of these guys, a bit like Donnacha Walsh, that you have to be missing before you realise how good abd valuable he is.
He takes minding and covers endless ground. But he is not just a ground dog either, he can play ball, score (although not freely) win frees and get around players.
However, i am not disagreeing about Durcan. A serious player, robust, fast, can score etc. I would start him too, but not at the loss of DOC.
If I was Rochford Iād go with the following match ups:
Harrison v Andrews
Barrett v Rock
Higgins v Mannion
Keegan v Kilkenny
Boyle v OāCallaghan
Vaughan v Flynn/Scully
At the other end Iād expect
Cooper v Moran
McMahon v Cillian OāConnor
Fitzsimons v Doherty
Small v McLoughlin
McCaffrey v Diarmuid OāConnor
OāSullivan v Aodhan OāSe
Although part of me thinks Connolly will start.
I would definitely start him. Who to drop for him is the puzzle. Probably OāCallaghan, actually, or possibly Rock.
I spoke to Shane Carthy in Porto this morning. He revealed that he couldnāt reveal anything about the team but that they knew it.
On these grounds, Iād expect that there will be changes.
